2017 Kia Optima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 255 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 20 Optima model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 4 involved a crash and 9 involved a fire. 7 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Latches/locks/linkages, trunk lid, latchAug 24, 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC278.
Campaign 23V594000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsDec 19, 2018
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Campaign 18V907000 on NHTSA.gov
Hybrid propulsion systemMar 8, 2018
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Optima hybrid vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a Voltage Protection Device (VPD), designed to protect the high voltage battery module, that may activate inadvertently.
If the VPD activates while the vehicle is being operated in Electric Vehicle (EV) mode, there may be a loss of power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the VPD switch and install two newly designed Battery Management Systems (BMS) that contain Overvoltage Protection Devices (OPDs), free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC162.
Campaign 18V161000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
255 reports, newest first.
Exterior lighting, May 25, 2022
I have been driving at night going 70 mph on major rural freeway, as well as 55 mph on a two lane rural country road when the auto headights went completely dark, including all the interior lights. I could see nothing in the dark at those speeds ... not even the road. The first time this happened, I panicked because I could not see the road. I slammed on the brakes. I turned the auto light switch from auto to off and then turned to regular on. The headlights and interiors lights came back on. The second time this happened, I was going 70 mph on a rural highway. I immediately took my foot off the petal and turned the auto light to off and back on to regular on. I told the Kia Dealership and they said I would need to pay $138 to have them investigate the problem. The Service Center said they have heard of the problem before but were very vague. This is a MAJOR SECURITY TRANSPORTATION RISK.
Electrical system, Air bags, Engine, May 23, 2022
March 2022, (approximately 72,000 miles)while driving to work my car shut off. I was in drive at a red light. Noticeable decreased acceleration and vibration. Took it to the dealership for routine oil change and mentioned incident. Technician was not able to find cause. Ok so be it. Now May at a little over 73,000 miles multiple lights began to illuminate and flash. Still with decreased acceleration it was noticed on a Friday morning on my way to work: 1. Oil light flashed on and off for approximately 2 minutes. 2. Air bag light stays on 3. Electronic Stability Control light stays on I scheduled an appointment for the next day. Took it into nearest Kia dealership. I was informed that my engine had no oil in it. The electrical board that signals my airbags and power steering is “malfunctioning” and would need to be replaced. I was also told that since I just went for an oil change and was not due for another 3-4,000 miles maybe the “engine absorbed the oil as there are no visible leaks” I am set to return to Kia at the 1,000 mile mark to check oil levels to see if the oil is gone again. On my way to work again, on I-75 I felt extreme unsteadiness and loss of road grip with steering. Like I was loosing co trio of the vehicle while traveling at 55 miles an hour. As the original owner of this vehicle, with regular routine maintenance this is extremely concerning. I worry every day that my car will fail me and injure mine, my kids and others lives. I really hope this is looked into as a safety issue.
Engine, May 3, 2022
EXCESSIVE oil consumption. More than 1 quart every 1,000 miles. I am having to change my spark plugs about every 3 months to keep this car going. I've been to Kia twice and spent thousands of dollars. It has fixed nothing.
Power train, Engine, Apr 29, 2022
Large Oil consumption (1qt a week). No warning lights, experiencing loss of power, hesitation on acceleration, oil covering the motor with no signs of leaks underneath the car on the streets. Oil puddling up on the top of the valve cover near the plugs but unable to locate the source. Gaskets and hoses checked and all are in good condition. 125,000 miles.
Engine, Other or unspecified, Apr 28, 2022
Engine is consuming excessive oil. That could cause internal parts of the engine to wear faster because of less lubrication and could lead to an engine failure while driving, which could lead to engine stopping and loss of propulsion which could cause an accident. The car went through a oil consumption test with a Kia dealership and failed by consuming more than 1 qt of oil in a 1000 miles interval. The Kia dealership proceeded to do a combustion chamber cleaning procedure and re-did oil consumption test and it failed again. They also had requested service record which where provided. Even though Kia has a service bulletin on that matter, the service advisor at the Kia dealership said that the manufacturer declined the claim. Right now I’m constantly refilling oil in the engine which is also an additional expense. The first time I noticed the issue was in February, 2022 when the low oil pressure alert came on.
Engine, Apr 18, 2022
The Engine burns oil at a rate higher than the recommended oil change interval. I have had the dealer perform multiple consumption tests. The car passed all three even though it burns around a quart every 1000 miles. I had them clean the combustion chamber and paid for the costs myself but that did not resolve the issue. This seems be a known defect in the engine and is causing me a lot of problems monthly. A recall needs to be issued to fix this problem.
Other or unspecified, Apr 8, 2022
Since I purchased the car I have a had a issue with my vehicle misfiring. We purchased the car in 2018 and a few months in I had to bring the car in for a rattle and shaking while I was driving. It would give me a warning lamp stating that a “possible engine control issue had been found”. Since then I have taken the car in for the same issue three different time. Including the misfire and coil pack and spark plug replacement that I just had to pay nearly 600 for at the dealership. I have had this issue occur multiple time since we purchased the car and while driving on the freeway nearly putting my life at risk. This is an issue that needs to be addressed.
Service brakes, Feb 24, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, while slowing down the brake pedal was depressed and would engage however, after several seconds the brake would disengage and the vehicle would roll forward. The contact was able to safely stop and noticed a knocking sound coming from the rear area in the trunk as the vehicle came to a stop. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed however, the mechanic found no failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
Power train, Feb 18, 2022
I was driving down hwy 60 in Lake Wales, Florida, passing a car at 70 mph. While passing, all of the alerts and indicators came on my dash, and I lost the ability to accelerate. To get off the road without getting rear-ended, I drove off into the grass in the median and stopped on the paved crossover. When I stopped the car, it shook and the engine died. The "hybrid warning/turn engine off" light came on in the middle of the display, so I turned off the car. I waited a few minutes and turned the car back on, no alerts were showing, but when I shifted into drive, the hybrid warning came back on, and all the lights/alerts on the dash were lit. The car had to be towed to the dealership. On Tuesday, Feb. 15, the dealership told me they performed a software update and the car was running again, but they wanted to keep it another night. On Wed., Feb. 16, the dealership called again to tell me the same situation that occurred on 2/14 happened again. They told me the codes that were given were related to the transmission. They said the transmission had to be replaced. The car is 5 years old. I asked about the transmission control module, and they said the entire transmission had to be replaced in order to replace the TCM. I took the car in after a recall notice was received in January 2022. I was told the recall only required an inspection, so there was no software update at that time. The tech told me that the original software update was done in April 2021. We received a 2nd recall notice this week saying the prior software update had an error and needed to be updated. The tech told me this is the update they did on 2/15. The dealership is telling me I need a new transmission. I'm having a hard time trusting anyone at the dealership.
Electrical system, Air bags, Jan 21, 2022
My air conditioner all of a sudden went out. No air would blow. Took it to Kia and it turns out that a fuse box blew on the main wiring harness, evidenced by burn marks on the bottom which then blew out my fan motor. Seems that Kia has had a lot of faulty wiring harnesses and it could have definetly caused a fire and is a safety hazard. My car is out of warranty by 8k miles and they are trying to make me pay for something that I believe is a defect as they said themselves that they cant even determine the cause as this is not normal wear and tear nor something I could have caused. I cannot afford to pay for this and I do believe that Kia needs to make this right. Because everything electrical plugs into this one wiring harness, they have to replace the whole thing costing over $3600. There was no warnings or lights that came on. I do believe that this also messed with the airbag sensor in the passenger seat as well. This is not right for consumers to have to worry about this. This is a 2017 car... it should not be failing.
Engine, Jan 21, 2022
Oil consumption in my vehicle is well above 1 qt per 1000 miles. This is a known problem but Kia engines and Kia doesn't take responsibility for it. The oil light never comes on and the car runs out of oil every 1500 miles. It's not leaking, it's being consumed. Kia does not see it as a problem, even though there are so many reports. Please expand the recall for 2017 Kia's.
Engine, Dec 20, 2021
I had got on the freeway when I got to my destination I got off the freeway and was waiting for the green light my car started shakeing and shut off. I was able to turn it back on
Electrical system, Structure, Other or unspecified, Dec 16, 2021
Several weeks ago, we had trouble opening and closing the trunk of our 2017 KIA Optima. Then a few weeks ago, the trunk of our KIA Optima closed and would not open at all. Because of the pandemic, we didn't contact KIA. But today, 16 Dec. 2021, as my wife was driving north in heavy traffic on US Highway 25 in Albuquerque, NM, the trunk suddenly opened and blocked her view of the cars behind her. Luckily she was in the right lane and was able to exit the highway. Otherwise there might have been a serious accident. We bought the car in 2017 from Fiesta KIA in Albuquerque, NM (505-999-2745). They have been unresponsive.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Dec 13, 2021
During the week of November 14th, 2021, I noticed my vehicle begin to noticeably vibrate and generate an unfamiliar sound near the engine compartment. The vibration and sound was accompanied by a "check engine" light illuminating. I immediately scheduled an appointment at my local dealership and was provided a date of November 29, 2021. On November 29, 2021, I dropped off my vehicle at the dealership and learned of NHTSA Recall Number "21V844." The service representative and his technician believe the vibration and sound are a result of the recall. To date, my vehicle remains at the dealership and the matter is unresolved. The service representative has advised me that Techline / KIA Corp. is determining whether my vehicle's engine issue is due to the recall or not. It has been two weeks that the vehicle has been at the service center. As per the recall notice I received in the mail, the inspection for the recall should have been completed in a matter of hours. I reasonably believe that Techline / KIA Corp is searching for an excuse to not remedy my vehicle's engine issue, and are jeopardizing the safety of myself and my family. I have a newborn and kindergartener that I have in the car daily and am concern for their safety if the engine issue does not get fixed. I am a military veteran and active police officer. I appreciate any assistance you may provide and thank you in advance.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Dec 6, 2021
The vehicle automatically turns the headlights off automatically (at night). While driving and not touching the multi function switch, the vehicle indicate that the headlights were switched manually to the "off" position from the "auto" position on the multi function switch. This happens randomly at random intervals and most noticeable at night when the car is driving and the lights are turned off and is not reproducible on demand. The safety of both myself and the other vehicles around me are put at risk if my headlights cannot turn on or turn off by themselves at night while operating the vehicle. I went to the dealer, and they told me that even though the car is under warranty since the problem cannot be reproduced I would need to pay a $175 diagnostic fee, the dealer told me that Kia will charge them if they can't prove that the multi functional switch is defective. I contacted Kia customer service, they opened a claim, but did confirm that if the issue is not re-creatable on demand the dealer can charge a fee and there isn't anything they can do to waive that. They told me since it's a safety issue they could escalate the issue, so I agreed to escalate it. Then I never heard back after that. The lcd in the control cluster indicated that the lights were turned off (even though the switch was physically not touched and remained in the "auto" position for the lights). Other Kia Optima owners are experiencing this issue as seen here: https://www.optimaforums.com/threads/headlights-turn-off-automatically-at-night.169987/
Engine, Dec 6, 2021
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the speed decelerated independently while the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the accelerator pedal needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where they informed the contact there was an unknown software update. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the knock sensor software needed to be updated. The vehicle was repaired but two days later the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Engine, Nov 19, 2021
Unknown … Right in the moment I started the car. My car turned on the check engine light and it started a fault as if it wanted to turn off, it shakes and the engine works without power. Since that moment it’s doing it constantly.
Engine, Oct 22, 2021
My Kia Optima was burning three (3) quarts of oil for every 1,200 miles driven. I brought the vehicle to Willowbrook Kia and they stated that they would need to do an oil consumption test. After the 1st test, it showed that I burned 3 quarts after 1,200 miles driven. Kia completed an intake carbon test and had me drive it for another 1,000 miles. After the 2nd test, it showed that I burned 1.5 quarts of oil after 1,000 miles. Willowbrook Kia stated that the engine needed to be replaced and it will be under warranty. They rented me a car which they paid for and it took me to call after 1 week in a half and they stated that the vehicle is not covered under warranty as I am the 2nd owner of the vehicle. The gentleman (Vic) at Kia told me the only way to get Kia to replace the engine is to drive it until their is no oil and the engine seizes. I explained to him that I drive on the expressway everyday and that is kind of like an accident waiting to happen. No accident has happened as of yet, but thought I would at least try and send a complaint your way. If there is nothing that can be done, I completely understand, but was trying to avoid a possible accident in the future.
Structure, Oct 20, 2021
The trunk won't close.
Service brakes, Sep 29, 2021
When driving above 30 mph if you apply light brake pressure to the brake pedal and then allow the vehicle to slow down without applying additional force the ABS will activate when the speed drops to around 20 miles per hour. At that point if you release the brake and reapply them they will operate without issue. If on the other hand you hold the force or apply more force the ABS activation continues the brake pedal gets hard and it feels lie the vehicle is not going to stop. As an employee of Kia America I cannot provide any documentation. That said you should have full access to all the details via the TREAD ACT and I would encourage you to investigate it. Please also note I was able to duplicate this issue in 3 other like vehicles and feel this issue could hurt or kill someone.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Aug 9, 2021
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated while stationary at a traffic light, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to her residence. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the engine knock sensor needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Engine, Jun 24, 2021
My 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid began losing oil rapidly (more than 1 quart a week), and then knocking. There was never a warning light or an engine light. The mechanic at Kirby Kia (the dealership) confirmed engine knocking in the lower pistons. Kia will not honor the 100,000 mile drive train warranty because I am the second owner, and there is no recall on the hybrid engine. However, it's irrelevant that they won't cover the cost of the engine since they are not making engines available to anyone outside of the recall, so I cannot fix my car. I'm a little confused on why this engine is withheld for the recall, but mine is not recalled.
Power train, Apr 17, 2021
KIA OPTIMA 2017 HYBRID. 26K MILEAGE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BECOME VERY CLUNKY, CAR JERKS WHEN SHIFTING ON ANY GEAR. NOT STABLE DRIVING, STRANGE NOISES UNDER THE HOOD ESPECIALLY WHEN VEHICLE GOES UPHILL AND EVEN ON STRAIGHT ROAD CAR TWITCHES. NO OIL LEAKS FROM THE BOTTOM.
Engine, Mar 20, 2021
ENGINE HAS TOO MUCH OIL CONSUMPTION , WENT TO DO MY OIL CHANGE 200 MILES BEFORE IT WAS DUE AND THE AUTOMOTIVE PLACE TOLD ME THERE WAS NO OIL ON MY DRIP STICK. ALSO HAVE A RATTLING NOISE IN MY ENGINE WHEN I ACCELERATE. NOISE HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A FEW MONTHS BUT THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIND A PROBLEM.
Exterior lighting, Mar 4, 2021
THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF NO MATTER IF THE SWITCH IS ON AUTO OR NORMAL ON. THE LIGHTS CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, IT HAPPENS ON THE STREET, HIGHWAY, AND EVEN IF THE CAR ISN'T MOVING. IT STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO. THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY DAMAGE OR WRECKS TO MY CAR.